Does anyone know the best bank in Canada for ATM and currency exchange fees?

Royal Bank of Canada charges $5.00 for all foreign transactions and I think an extra 2% currency exchange fee....

That's pretty hefty.

I was also thinking of preloading my credit card with money and taking it out like a cash advance. Supposedly it's only $2.50 per transaction and 2% exchange. As long as I don't start charging a negative balance (credit), it's not prone to interest

Is that correct?

I want to move my travel cash into a bank that has a lower fee. Which Canadian banks would you suggest? Are there any international or european banks that I can open up and transfer funds to within two weeks?

Presidents choice is pretty good. I believe they just charged me $3.00 a transaction.....but could have been $3.00 + 3%. The lady I talked to wasn't entirely clear . And while they may not have the most knowledgable personel (well at least around here...) it IS a completely no fee bank account with relatively high savings account interest rates. I mean how can you go wrong w/ that?

__________________~LauraGO CANADA!!!!
If you walk backwards, you'll find out that you can go forward and people won't know if you're coming or going.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-James Dean

I use Royal Bank as well, but also try Simply Angelics suggestion of President's Choice...also one to to look into is TD/Canada Trust. Those are the banks that I deal with. Sometimes you can't really get away from the hefty fee ya know?? Sucks!

__________________"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." ~St. Augustine"